Facebook launches Zero mobile website

Facebook has revealed it is working on a text-only version of its social networking site for mobile phone users.

Facebook has revealed it is working on a text only version of its social networking site for mobile phone users. Facebook Zero is a low-bandwidth site that "omits data intensive applications like photos", making it ideal to be viewed on a mobile phone.

The social network said more than 100 million mobile phone owners use their handset to access Facebook, while the GSM Association said Brits spent 2.2 billion minutes accessing Facebook from their mobile phones in December.

The site is currently live but can only be accessed from handsets once a network has agreed to support it.

"We are discussing it... as an option to make Facebook on the mobile web available to everyone, anywhere and allow operators to encourage more mobile internet usage," a Facebook spokesperson said.

Facebook already offers a simplified version of the site. Facebook Lite is aimed at web users with slow connections and users in the developing world.